DELMAS – The Victor Khanye Local Municipality hosted a two-day HIV and AIDS training session from 18 to 19 November 18 to 19, 2024, aimed at educating traditional healers about the symptoms of HIV and AIDS, as well as other highly contagious diseases such as tuberculosis (TB).
Nomthandazo Dikiza, a TB coordinator from the Department of Health, highlighted the significance of the initiative. “We are here to educate traditional healers on the importance of collaboration, as we share the same clients. We want them to refer patients to us when medical assistance is required,” she emphasised.
The Chairperson of the Traditional Healers Organisation, Zamani Khanyile, explained the purpose of the training. “The Department of Health in Delmas raised concerns about a 60% rate of people defaulting on their ARV treatment. We decided to engage with them to address this issue and give our patients access to their services, so the defaulting rate can decrease,” he said.
Dorcas Yeko, MMC of the Victor Khanye Local Municipality, expressed optimism about the outcomes of the training. “We believe that people will stop defaulting on their ARV treatment, even when attending initiation schools. Once individuals adhere to their ARV regimens, the number of new HIV infections in Delmas will decrease,” she concluded.
